Brief History of the Department
Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University), Ado-Ekiti was the first State University in Nigeria to have a Department of Psychology. It was established in 1983 with three foundation members of academic staff. The Department had 8 foundation students, which has now grown to produce thousands of students.
The Department started its post-graduate programme in the 1996/97 Session with three M.Sc. students, and since then has graduated several M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. Currently it has several M.Sc. and Ph.D. Students. The Department, like most Psychology Departments, maintains a modest laboratory; where Psychological experiments can be performed.
The Department has set up a Psychology Clinic to provide Psychological assistance to members of the University community. The Clinic also serves as an avenue to train Clinical Psychologists as Professional Clinicians.
The Department played host to the Nigerian Psychological Association Annual Conference in 1989. It was the 25th anniversary of Psychology in Nigeria. The activity was significant as it is a hallmark in the history of Psychology in Nigeria.
Philosophy of the Department
Being a scientific discipline – Psychology and Behavioural studies is done with the basic assumption, shared by all scientific disciplines, that there is a law and order to which all phenomena, including behaviour bow. On the basis of this and other assumptions of scientific methodology, psychologists use methods of science not only to discover the laws that govern behaviour and its determinant objectives but also to predict and control behaviour.
The philosophy, therefore, behind the establishment of The Programme is that the knowledge of the theories and principles of Psychology and Human behaviour shall not be limited to teaching and research but will equally address the practical application of these principles to contemporary living, thereby equip students both at undergraduate and Postgraduate levels with skills, competencies, concepts, theories, models and abilities which will enable them, upon graduation, to analyze, understand, predict, condition, modify, control, reform and change human and animal behaviours for the overall social, economic, political and national development of Nigeria; in this era of global and competitive Intellectual Capital Development and Utilization. This philosophy premeditates the recognition given to the science of Psychology and Behavioural studies as a professional endeavour in Nigeria and the world over.